Wilted Past
by DR45
Summary: A flower represents the purest form of innocence, of the untainted heart of a child. But the flower will wilt eventually, whether you wish it or not. Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters. Rated T just in case.
1. Prologue: We Had It All

_Hey there! This is my first time writing here on XD but I couldn't help but notice the lack of ReNora stories for RWBY fanfics._

 _Basically short drabbles of their childhood, I guess? Warning: Probably very cliche ^^;_

 _Reviews are always appreciated~_

 _Well, I hope you enjoy the ride!_

~RWBY~

 **Prologue: We Had It All**

They had been polar opposites.

Their friendship was quite laughable, if one had to describe it. A silent boy and a hyperactive girl.

He was raised in a strict, traditional household.

"Ren! Come here, let me fix your sash. It's already falling," His mother berated him with a light tone, her green eyes glimmering amusedly.

Ren stood, raising his arms slightly for his mother.

He was wearing a traditional Chinese robe, dyed an emerald green. There were intricate gold spirals that were carefully patterned upon the delicate silk, and magenta tassels swayed from his sash to compliment his eyes.

He was almost always quiet, when asked for his opinion, he usually opted to stay silent. Questions were met with either a simple nod or a small shake of his head.

His mother finished tying the sash, and she smiled good-naturedly at him.

"You look like quite the man of the house, hm?" Her voice was cheerful, if a bit hushed.

Ren gazed up at her, his distinct pink eyes glinting in the dim lighting of the room.

He looked more like his mother, with her long, black hair and feminine features. The only thing Ren represented of his father were his striking eyes.

The silk was dragging him down.

He lifted his sleeves slightly to inspect it, noticing hidden pockets within them. His mother noticed his curious gaze, and laughed under her breath.

"Ren, that's what traditional wear looks like. We have pockets in our sleeves, because it's more efficient that way."

The only thing Ren revealed of his distaste with the robe was the way his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Ren, it's silk. It's much lighter than the other fabrics, trust me," His mother chuckled slightly. "Here, go show Father how it looks. After all, you're turning seven."

He gave her a subtle nod, almost tripping over the layers of silk as he slid open the door from his room and into the wooden hallway.

His father was grumbling over his paperwork, his pen scribbling furiously on the wooden desk.

Ren stood silently by the door, his mother coming from behind him.

"Hey, Shu, doesn't Ren look nice? I found this gown in our old stuff, it's the same one you wore when you turned seven."

Ren's father turned slightly, his fuchsia eyes flickering as they caught the light of the window.

"Ah, Ren, you look nice. Rina, what did I tell you about interrupting me when I'm working?"

"Well, it's Ren's birthday, I wanted to do something special."

His father glowered for a minute before sighing and placing his pen down on the table. A small smile was forced on his face.

"Happy birthday, Ren. Got any plans?"

Shu's question was met with a small shake of his head. His father laughed softly, his grin widening.

"Quiet as always, huh? You know, my parents would always yell at me because I was so rowdy."

Ren acknowledged his words with a blink.

"Tell you what, Ren. Why don't you go out for a bit? It's a nice day; you can take a walk in the park or something."

His parents smiled as he gave a simple nod, and went outside.

Rina couldn't help but laugh.

"I wonder when he's going to realize that he wore the robe outside?"

~RWBY~

Growing up with two brothers could be quite difficult for the single girl amongst the midst.

That is, unless you were Nora.

She made it for herself to prove a point that she could be stronger, louder, and more violent than her brothers.

Her brothers eventually gave up on attempting to best their sister after many failed attempts on their part to pick a fight with her.

She was currently outside, her arms swinging at her sides as she pranced through the neighborhood, her lips humming a tune.

 _I'm queen of the castle… queen of the castle...~_

A quiet presence made her stop, the tune falling from her pursed lips.

There was a boy crouched near the the big house that Nora lived near.

Nora would have dismissed him without a second glance if it weren't for the strange garments he was wearing.

In fact, with his long hair and flowy clothes, Nora had almost mistaken him for a girl.

"Heyo~ whaddya looking at?" Her voice was loud, and it echoed down the streets.

The boy flinched slightly, raising his face to peer at her.

She danced up to him, crouching by him, her gaze ever so curious.

"You know, I was wondering. What's that you're wearing? It looks really pretty. Kinda girly, but still. You're a guy, right?"

He paused at her questions, giving her a nod, to which question, Nora wasn't sure.

She was about to throw more questions his way when she noticed what was in his cupped hands.

"Hey, what is that?"

"A bird."

Nora started slightly when he spoke, and she grinned.

"Well, duh! Where is its mommy and daddy?"

"It fell." His voice was soft, the breeze almost carried his words away.

"Huh?"

He gestured above her head, and Nora glanced up to see a nest balanced precariously upon the branches of a large tree.

"Oh no! Won't its parents be worried? What if it's left here, forever?"

He shrugged, a movement so subtle that Nora almost missed it.

"It'll die."

His words merely strengthened Nora's resolve.

"Well, we can't let that happen!"

She picked up the bird rather gently, her gaze burning, her mouth pulled into a grin.

The boy blinked, bewildered, as Nora tucked the bird into the collar of her shirt.

His gaze only widened as she launched herself upwards at the tree.

"Hey, what are-"

"Don't worry, I've got this!" Her cheerful cry rang out as she laughed, dangling dangerously with one hand as her feet slowly scrabbled their way up the branch.

She actually managed to make it, dropping from the branches with a thud as she dusted her hands off triumphantly.

"There, now it'll be fine."

She caught the boy's gaze inspecting her, and she turned to him, her smile widening.

"Why are you wearing such a fancy thing? Do you live around here? 'Cuz I don't think I've seen you around."

He paused at her questions, as if contemplating which one to answer first.

"It's my birthday… and we just moved here a while ago."

Happy that she managed to elicit more than just two words from him, she squatted down to where he was still crouching, mischief glinting in her aqua eyes.

"You know what my parents do when it's my birthday?"

Without waiting for a response, she reached out and lightly tapped his nose, grinning all the while.

"Boop. Happy birthday!"

His eyes flickered, an expression of confusion and amusement flitting over his face.

Someone called.

"It's almost lunch, hurry!"

He stood up, dusting the sleeves of his robe and beginning to walk back, when Nora piped up again.

"Hey, I just remembered. What's your name?"

His magenta eyes peered questioningly into her own aquamarine ones.

"Ren," he stated simply, but his eyes still held the question.

Nora began to dance back, her grin ever present upon her face.

"I'm Nora."


	2. Chapter 1: The First Petal

_Aaah thank you to everyone who favorited and followed! :)_

 _I hope you enjoy the next part~_

 **Chapter 1: The First Petal**

If Ren had to be honest, he didn't really expect to see her again.

His parents had always been seclusive from others, as if they wanted to hide away.

Ren never understood why; he never questioned it.

So that day, when he heard the light rapping on the wooden door, he continued on his studies.

He certainly did not expect to hear the light, childish voice talk to his mother.

"Hi! Are you Ren's mother? Is Ren home?"

He could hear the slight confusion in his mother's tone as she spoke.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Oh, he didn't tell you about me? I'm Nora. I'm his friend!"

 _Friend…?_

"I see."

Ren could detect the amusement in her voice.

"Well, he's available right now, I'll go get him."

 _What?_

He was in the middle of his studies, he couldn't just-

"Hey, Ren, your friend's here. Why don't you go and play with her for a bit?"

She was smiling at him, and he simply paused and looked at her.

"Come on, Ren. We just moved here; you might as well go and make some more friends."

He got up almost reluctantly, walking to the door.

Nora was shifting on her feet, smiling.

"Gosh, you didn't tell anyone about me? I'm offended."

She grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him along with her.

"Come on, let's play! The sun's gonna go down!"

She dragged him to the park, and Ren wondered what he had done to make such an impression on her.

He fell in step with her, letting her talk.

"Haha, you're probably wondering why I came to your house, of all people's. Well, you're interesting. People don't usually hang around me, because they think I'm too loud or whatever. Their loss! You just seem so quiet. Like, you seem like you don't mind if I'm loud. Ya know?"

She grinned as she looked up at the sky, the sun that was starting to set.

"Plus, my brothers get boring after a while. I always beat them."

Ren didn't really have anything to say. So he did what he did best. He stayed silent.

"You said you just moved here, right? I'll give you a tour. And your guide, Nora!"

She spun around, walking backwards, her grin permanent on her face.

~RWBY~

"That house is Ms. Duborne's. Don't go near her, she's mean. And old. But mostly mean. And then there's Mrs. Gathe's house, she makes really good cookies. Oh, and there's Mr. Thonsis's house, he's… uh… interesting. He's nice, though. There's also…"

Ren smiled slightly as she continued dancing backwards, listing names off of the top of her head, pointing as they went along.

"And- my house! It's not as big as yours, but it's still nice. Stay away from my brothers, they're jerks."

The neighborhood really was quite small, the town they lived in was isolated from the big cities and such, he noted.

Ren's parents preferred it that way.

"Oh, and by the way, don't do anything stupid in public. Since we live in a small town, word gets around really fast."

Nora made a shushing gesture to him, eyes glimmering amusedly.

The park was in sight.

"Come on, let's go on the swings!" Nora pointed, and ran over.

Ren followed slowly, and Nora had already plopped down and was kicking her legs back and forth.

"Hey, Ren, can you push me?"

He obliged, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.

It looked… nice. Almost peaceful.

"You know, Ren, I've been wondering for awhile. What's up with your clothes? They all look so… weird. Not in a bad way, though."

Ren looked down at his attire, his eyes narrowed slightly. He was wearing 'traditional uniform,' as his mother called it. It really looked like a tunic with a sash, now that he thought about it.

"It's traditional wear," he replied, choosing his words carefully.

"Really? That's cool!"

Nora glanced down at her own clothing, which consisted of a white tee-shirt, a pink jacket, pink shorts, and sneakers. Her expression revealed her mischief.

"I wonder how I would look in those fancy things…"

"What?"

"Nothing!~"

 _From the flower, they dance whilst another petal crumbles to dust…_

 _For good things do not last long, and peace will shatter eventually._


	3. Chapter 2: When It Falls

_Hey there!~_

 _Thanks again for those who followed and favorited! As always, reviews are always welcome :)_

 _I hope you enjoy~_

~RWBY~

 **Chapter 2: When It Falls**

Nora sat up when she heard the doorbell ring.

"I got it!"

Hurrying to the door, she opened it with a smile.

"Hi, Ren!"

He smiled slightly back at her, lifting his hand in greeting.

"Come on, come in!"

He stepped in almost cautiously, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. Nora twirled in her house, laughing.

"Welcome to the Valkyrie house!~"

Ren tilted his head, amusement shining in his distinct eyes as he watched Nora dance ahead of him. He held a package in front of him, wrapped with pink. Nora paused for a moment, looking at him quizzically.

"Happy birthday," he stated simply.

"Awh, Ren, you didn't!"

She took it from him excitedly, her gaze sparkling. There was the sound of ripping tape and careful unpackaging. Nora set aside the pink paper - what could she say, she loved the color - and squealed when she saw what was inside the box.

It was a small keychain.

To be more accurate, it was a little plush dangling from the chain.

"It's so cute! What is it?"

"It's a sloth," Ren replied. "The place we used to live in had these."

"And they look like this? It looks like a really cute… bear… thing…"

Nora held it up, grinning as she admired it. She placed it down, carefully, on the table by the couch, and stood up abruptly, eyes twinkling.

"Hey, Ren, wanna do something fun?"

He gave a shrug and a nod, and mischief crept into Nora's expression. She reached out, grabbing a strand of his long hair.

"Nora, what -"

"Gosh, I'm so jealous. I wish my hair was long like that."

Her voice was bubbling with laughter and ideas only Nora could conjure.

"Nora…"

There was a caution in his tone.

"Hey, Ren, it's my birthday, right?"

"... Yes…"

"Can I play with your hair?"

"What?"

"Come on, Ren, pleaseeee~"

"... Fine. But nothing crazy, okay?"

"Sure!"

Ren didn't think he would regret anything more.

But he was slightly surprised when he saw the results.

"Nora… why pink?"

"It's a pretty color!"

Nora beamed as Ren stared at the mirror he was handed.

She had dyed a pink streak in his hair.

"... Is this going to come out?"

"Gosh, I hope not. Besides, I tried really hard. You don't like it?"

"Not really…"

"But it matches your eyes!" Nora pouted, her expression revealing the thought she had put into it.

Ren couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

"I'm kidding, Nora, I love it."

~RWBY~

She was lying on her bed, her short hair dangling from the edge as she fiddled around with the keychain. Her lips formed a smile as she pushed herself up, padding softly to the kitchen

I'm hungry… gotta eat some more cake.

She had made it to the doorway when the scene in front of her made her stop.

Her parents were together at the kitchen table, the mail cluttered around it. And her parents…

They looked _devastated_.

"Mom? Daddy?" Her voice was scared, pitiful to her own ears.

They straightened almost immediately, and Nora relaxed slightly when her mother's face relaxed into her usual smile.

"Nora, honey, why are you down here? You should go to bed."

"I wanted some cake." Nora's expression was a careful grin.

"Alright, since it's your birthday," her mother smiled gently at her. "Honey, can you clean the mail from the table?"

Nora's father moved quickly and efficiently, it was like he was hiding something.

There was tension in the air; and even Nora could feel it and she shuddered.

"Hey, Nora, when you grow up, what would you like to be?"

Her mother set a slice in front of her carefully, with a light thud.

"That's easy!" Nora responded, her gaze sparkling. "I want to be a Huntress, just like you and Dad!"

A smile graced her mother's lips, but for some reason, Nora noted, she almost looked _sad_.

But it faded almost immediately, and so Nora wasn't worried.

 _Probably some nostalgia_ , Nora thought, _because her brothers had already left to be Hunters._

She went to sleep that night with no idea of what would happen next.

A crash.

A scream.

A struggle.

A futile resistance.

And tears falling, as she watched everything crumble.

"Nora! _Run!_ "

Her mother struggled against the single Grimm, her hair wisping around her face as her eyes flashed desperately.

" _Nora!_ "

She let out a whimper, picking herself up shakily, glancing back at the ruined houses.

Her father was still inside.

He had most likely been crushed to death.

And her neighbors…

One had been brutally killed as she ran.

She hid.

 _Coward_ , she berated herself.

 _You_ _ **coward**_.

And when the Grimm had ambled away, she pried herself away from the dark walls slowly, tentatively.

Her broken, crumbled house, where her memories lay in shattered pieces.

She noticed a pile of scattered papers; she flipped it over and almost choked when she read it.

It was a notice from the Hunter's Academy.

 _Mr. and Mrs. Valkyrie,_

 _We are sorry to inform you that your sons went on a practice mission, and things went awry. The Hunter's Academy will take full responsibility for this tragedy…_

Nora chose to stop reading right then and there.

She was alone now, wasn't she?

A small wisp of pink caught her gaze, and she clattered towards it, picking it up with shaking hands.

It was the wrapping paper Ren had given her that day.

 _Ren…!_

She wasn't alone.

Not yet.


	4. Chapter 3: Devastation

_Hey there readers! I'm sorry for the lack of updates, it's been quite busy ^^; Holidays are coming up though, that's something to be excited about! I hope you enjoy this chappie, for those of you who haven't left due to cliche yet xD_

~RWBY~

 **Chapter 3: Devastation**

She ran, breath not coming easily.

 _Please be okay, please-_

What she saw made her stop in her tracks.

The Grimm, standing on two legs as it roared, crimson eyes flashing.

And bodies, scattered.

She saw a streak of pale pink, belonging to a figure crouched away from the Grimm.

 _Oh…_

She was too late, wasn't she?

There was the sound of determined yelling, and a blurred figure when they rushed the Grimm.

Fuchsia eyes met her own aqua ones as they made eye contact.

"Get out of here!"

He produced a pair of barbed green blades, and whirled mid-air, slashing the Grimm's side.

It was in vain; the Grimm's exterior shell merely sparked when the daggers made contact.

Nora darted to Ren's side, stopping when she saw what he was crouched over.

A mangled, twisted body that Nora had once greeted happily.

 _His mother._

"Ren, I'm so…"

He raised his eyes, and all Nora saw was destruction in his pink gaze.

"Ren! Hurry up and get out!" The man was moving desperately, rolling as the Grimm's deadly strike missed him by a mere inch.

Ren wasn't crying, wasn't screaming, wasn't panicking.

His magenta eyes were smoldering with flame.

Nora grabbed him, pulling desperately.

"Come on, Ren, it isn't safe. We can run to the next town to get help-"

There was a scream, the sickening sound of claws meeting flesh.

They whirled around, eyes widening when they saw the sight.

"Father…!"

Ren moved slightly forward, and Nora could've sworn she saw a pink shimmer form around his clenched fists.

She chose that moment to grab his hand and run.

"Ren, we have to go…! I'm sorry-"

There was another roar, sound of trampling footsteps. They were getting closer.

There was a thump, and a large stone shattered close to them, too close.

A roar that contained absolute devastation.

Fear is a very powerful thing.

It chained them, stopping them from moving, from thinking.

Nora trembled under the approaching Grimm, staring at the crimson gaze. It advanced at an ambling pace, a predator stalking prey.

Then-

"Nora…!"

Nora flinched, her eyes closing instinctively as she raised her arms protectively.

She felt air whip her hair around, and then a hand pulling her?

Her eyes opened slightly, carefully, automatically seeing a familiar green and pink.

And… red.

"Ren!"

"... I'm alright."

There was a gash on his back; he was considered lucky. If the claws had gone deeper, he would most likely be dead.

But even now, Nora could see the faint tint of pink working around him.

The Grimm was shrieking behind them, its scarlet eyes flashing in a frenzied manner.

They had escaped, just barely.

~RWBY~

Later, they would learn that Mrs. Gathe and a few other stragglers had survived the destruction cast about their town.

Nora and Ren were sent to the orphanage in a different part of the area, with a letter in their hands explaining their circumstances.

Their _circumstances._

Nora didn't think the orphanage was that bad. Honestly, it wasn't. The caretakers were nice, they talked with her and would read her stories, just like her parents used to.

The thought of her parents made her sad. But she remembered what they had said.

" _Live, Nora. Live, and be happy."_

So she did her best to go throughout the days with a smile on her face,

Besides, Ms. Gathe would occasionally visit, bringing cookies for them. By them, it was Nora and her newfound friends.

Nora and Ren had drifted apart.

At first, Nora had wandered throughout the halls in search of her childhood friend. After being told countless times that 'he wasn't there' or 'he was outside,' Nora gave up.

Ren would be Ren, he probably just needed some time.

It had been a good month when Nora was awakened by her own nightmares.

 _I… I need some fresh air._

She wandered out, the skies still dark with a sliver in the horizon. The orphanage had a decent amount of land, there was even a river on the property.

Nora and her friends would often play until they got their clothes all wet and muddy.

She didn't expect to run into Ren.

He had been peering out into the woods that lay further in the forest, the soothing rush of the river humming in the background.

"... Ren?"

He turned, slightly startled, the faint moonlight glinting off his eyes.

"Hey, Ren."

Nora walked up, tentatively sitting down beside him.

He gave her a nod, the only acknowledgement of her presence.

"What do you think of the orphanage?"

He paused at the mention of the orphanage, and shook his head in a subtle movement.

"I don't like it here."

"I mean, it's not bad," Nora defended. "I've made some friends."

Ren was silent.

Nora shifted slightly in the grass, moving to get up. As she did so, she realized just how alone Ren actually was.

 _He's so silent, he probably didn't even talk to anyone about what happened. Not even the caretakers._

Nora had been able to talk to her new friends, the caretakers, they had comforted her and she had felt like everything was lifted from her. Just a little.

Ren was different.

He wasn't the type to speak about his feelings, much less discuss it and share it with other people.

He hadn't even talked about it, probably letting it weigh on his mind all this time.

 _Oh…_

"Hey, Ren, what if we could run?"

He glanced up sharply, his gaze narrowing. "Nora, you don't mean…"

"What if we could run away?"


	5. Chapter 4: Runaways

_Oh goodness, I'm so sorry for the slow updates! Life has been such a mess lmaoo_

 _For those who have watched the latest RWBY episodes, you know how different this is than the actual past portrayed, so I wasn't sure whether or not to continue writing ^^; Let me know in the reviews!_

 _As always, all favorites, follows, and reviews are appreciated, and on with the ride! I hope you enjoy! :D_

 **Chapter 4: Runaways**

" _What if we could run away?"_

Ren hadn't thought that she'd actually _follow through_ on that question.

He remembered when she'd stated it, looking past him and at the river, her eyes holding a strange expression.

" _Nora, you can't be serious."_

" _What if I am?"_

She'd grinned at him then, and then walked back to the orphanage. Ren had thought nothing of it.

Then, one night, he'd awoken to the sound of light footsteps, the creaking of his door.

"... Nora?"

Aqua eyes had glinted in the darkness, and she pouted amusedly.

"Awh, I thought I could sneak up on you!"

He'd given her a small smile, unaware about what was coming.

Nora's features smoothed, and she was unexpectedly solemn as she continued talking.

"Ren, can we… can we run away?"

He stared at her for the barest moment.

"Nora, what are you talking about?"

She fidgeted for a moment, averting her gaze. "Ren, I've been… I've been adopted."

Ren hated that word. _Adopted._ As if you could pick up a human and say it was a dog.

"But-But that's great! You'll have a family again!"

 _Again._

Nora's eyes glittered in the moonlight, something indescribably bleak beneath her aquamarine gaze.

"Ren… I don't want to go. They're nice people… but they're _not_ my family. And plus, I don't want to leave you."

 _They're_ _ **not**_ _my family._

Ren could understand her all too well.

"So, what's the plan?"

Maybe this was crazy, the stupidest thing he had done, but he'd do it all again just to see her smile.

~RWBY~

It had been surprisingly easy to sneak out of the orphanage. Ren didn't think that they could get away without encountering _someone,_ but it had been easy, simple as that.

It wasn't too hard from then on. They'd gone from the now destroyed Kuroyuri to a large, well-developed village, and Ren and Nora managed to easily evade thugs and gangs on the streets, calling a small alleyway their own.

There was a shopkeeper who noticed them after their arrival; he took pity on the two and every week, Ren and Nora would find some supplies, maybe food, or even money.

They'd developed a system, working odd jobs, workers who sympathized with orphans roaming the cobbled roads by themselves.

Children adapted more easily; they were smart, and they knew how to use everything to their advantage.

One night, Nora had gone by the shop to pick up more supplies, and Ren glimpsed his reflection in a shards of shattered glass from a bottle someone had thrown into the alley. Strands of hair fell down the side of his face, the rest pulled back in a ponytail. He had learned that it was more efficient that way. Pink eyes glinted dully on the scratched surface, and he started when kid on the street called out, their voice untainted with a child's innocence.

"Mother, Father, wait for me!"

 _Mother… Father…_

Did he remember anymore?

The panic crashed over him, and he stared at the shards of broken glass in an attempt to piece it together.

 _What did… what did they look like again?_

He felt horrified, realizing he had lost something valuable, something that was lost beyond return. He reached for it, it fell relentlessly through his grasp.

 _What were their names… their names?_

He snapped out of his reverie when someone lightly swatted the side of his head - it was Nora.

He glanced up at her; she was unusually serious, her eyes glinting in the dim lighting.

"Are you okay?"

He paused at her questions, his emotions finally pouring over in a torrent of unexplainable anger and fear and fury.

All of it… for _what_ , exactly?

"Hey," She said again, her voice strangely gentle. "Tell me."

And so he did. He told her about his mother, his father, _ma_ and _ba._

He told her about how he couldn't remember their faces anymore.

He told her about the important things he had lost.

And she sat through his words, silent, her eyes a little distant as she listened, her face immobile, expressionless.


	6. Epilogue: Under a Sky Full of Stars

_Goodness, it's been quite a while I'd almost forgotten about this! Unfortunately, I'm not very sure if I should continue this, simply because the original in RWBY is so different xD_

 _Anyways, I hope you enjoy this update, albeit a little short, and all reviews are welcome! Enjoy!_

 **Chapter 5: Under a Sky Full of Stars**

Something changed in Nora after that night, Ren noticed. She'd always been happy, a grin on her face and her eyes filled with mirth, but now…

Now, it was as if she was _afraid_ of being sad.

He still remembered everything he told her, everything he'd said and almost cried about.

Almost. He'd built his walls too high, trapped those dark thoughts and memories far, far down.

Or so he fervently hoped. He needed to be strong, he kept reminding himself. He needed to stay strong for her, for his parents.

"Ren!" Her voice rang out, a bell, clear and lilting. "C'mon, slowpoke, we're gonna be late!"

He grinned inwardly as he hauled himself up, rolling his sagging sleeves up his arm. She greeted him at the edge of the alley, eyes sparkling. They walked hand in hand, among the other chattering adults and figures that filled the streets, stopping by a slightly rusty and dilapidated soup shop.

Somehow, they'd managed to find an odd job as a washer, cleaning dirty bowls and sinks. Ren wrinkled his nose slightly at the thought of having to clean morsels of food from the bowls, but really, this job was drastically better than some of the others.

~RWBY~

"Hey, Ren?" Nora glanced up at the starry sky, her eyes soaking up the darkness of the night.

"Yes?" Her childhood friend glanced over, his magenta eyes shimmering brightly. "What's wrong?"

She hesitated, her words catching in her throat as she remembered. Swallowing thickly, she turned her head away, stringy strands of strawberry colored hair hiding her face from view.

"... Nothing, Ren. I was just thinking."

 _Nora, run!_

The memories struck her with intensity, and she screwed her eyes shut, forcing herself to relax.

"Nora, tell me." Ren spoke softly, but she flinched slightly at his voice. "You've been acting… strange. Ever since last night."

"I…" The words were in her throat, refusing to allow themselves to be spoken. And with them, so many unwelcome memories. "I miss my parents."

Silence awaited her confession, and if she really had to suppose, it was natural.

Ren scooted over slightly, enough so that their shoulders were touching as they sat, huddled against the gray stone walls.

That small, almost nonexistent movement caused Nora's heart to swell, filled with gratefulness and sorrow.

And then she let herself break, soft sobs escaping her as she wept for what seemed like the first time their parents died. And Ren held her, two figures under the moonlight.

The night showed who they were, who they _really_ were, just two orphans with nothing left but each other.


End file.
